RICHARD SCOLYER My wish is to leave hope for others

Groundbreaking melanoma scientist Professor Richard Scolyer captured the hearts of people everwhere as the Australian of the Year who bravely experimented on his own brain cancer in the hope of finding a cure. As his tumour returned with a poor prognosis, Richard speaks with The Weekly about life and hope.

-  GENEVIEVE GANNON

A double rainbow stretched across the sky as Professor Richard Scolyer completed his 250th parkrun (the free, weekly 2km or 5km run, jog or walk that happens in parks and public spaces all over the world). Hundreds of people – some loved ones, some strangers – had turned out to cheer the world-renowned cancer pathologist as he achieved the milestone he wasn’t sure he’d reach. Richard’s wife, Dr Katie Nicoll, was by his side as he broke through a banner at the end of the track in the inner-Sydney park.

The emotional crowd was testament to how deeply Richard’s story has resonated. When he went public with his decision to fight his aggressive, terminal brain tumour with an experimental treatment, people followed his every update. The decision could potentially shorten his life, it could also help advance the treatment for the deadly disease. There was a small chance it could save him.

As Richard’s scans continued to come back clear, Australians dared to hope they were witnessing the making of a medical breakthrough. Then, in March, Richard revealed that the tumour had returned. “The prognosis is poor,” he said. The moonshot treatment would not save him. His remaining time would likely be measured in months.

In the face of this hard news, Richard has found solace in his family, and optimism in the data generated by his courageous experiment. There is, he says “a lot of hope” that the treatment may help change the fate of other brain cancer patients in the future. As legacies go, it is a remarkable one.

The indomitable doctor granted The Weekly some time to talk about bold science, what really matters and living a good life.

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